Why is Ovide the right choice?

Sunday

Oct 7, 2012 at 3:15 AM

On Nov. 6 when voters go to the polls they will have two capable choices for New Hampshire governor — Ovide Lamontagne, the Republican, and Maggie Hassan, the Democrat.

The decision of the editorial board here at Foster's Sunday Citizen to endorse Lamontagne comes down to choosing the right candidate for the right time.Agree or disagree with the cuts made to the state budget by the Republican-led Legislature, the fact remains the budget is the most honestly balanced — sans smoke and mirrors — than it has been in a long time, under both Republican and Democratic leadership. And like or dislike that the budget was cut by more than 10 percent, it needed to be done given these dire times.

As a result, the challenge moving forward will be to closely monitor requests for added spending and to scrutinize carefully any expanded role for state government. In reviewing the history and background of both candidates, Foster's Sunday Citizen sees Lamontagne as best able to hold the line while the economy waits to brighten and significantly more revenue is available to address pressing needs.

To assist in that goal, we see Lamontagne as best able to use the bully pulpit. This is especially the case when it comes to the Republican-led Legislature, which has spent too much time on social issues (not that Democrats didn't dabble themselves). And should the Democrats — who have shown a greater proclivity to tax and spend — become the majority party in either the House and/or the Senate this time around, Lamontagne will be the perfect medicine to keep spending requests in check. As noted in an earlier editorial, we are encouraged by his promise to either sign or veto any bill that reaches his desk, rather than let any become law without his signature. Lamontagne called this “Leadership for a change — not just ceremony” during his meeting with Foster's editorial board.

By this time some readers may be looking to set aside our endorsement, given the historically conservative leanings of our editorial board. Before you do, however, please be reminded of our earlier endorsements of Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat, and our recent endorsement of a fellow Democrat, Martha Fuller Clark in the Senate District 21 race — with perhaps more such endorsements to follow as our editorial boards continue.

In the case of Ovide Lamontagne, we see a candidate with a mood and style that offers much of what drew us to Gov. Lynch, but steps up the use of the bully pulpit and will push back more when the Legislature — Republican or Democrat — loses focus on the economy and jobs.

This is not say there won't be social agenda bills from either party or some nonsensical efforts like incorporating the Magna Carta into law (Republican) or banning the release of helium filled balloons (Democratic in an earlier Legislature), but it is to believe Lamontagne is better suited to be the right governor at the right time for New Hampshire.